Energy-transmission means



Dec. 23,1930. s. A. REED 1,736,264

ENERGY TRANSMISSION MEANS Filed Oct. 14. 1927 FICM F152.

I N VEN TOR.

/ 5y/4 anu6 /4. P660.

ATTOR s.

Patented 23, 1930 UNITED STATES sYLvanus A. REED, or'nnw YORK, 1v. Y.

ENERGY-TRANSMISSION MEANS Application filed October 14, 1927. Serial No. 226,232.

My invention relates to a method of and means for transmitting energy.

The intensity of sound for any frequency is proportional to the wave amplitude. Hitherto,. low intensity has characterized the production of trains of acoustic waves of super-audition pitch. The energy conveyed by a train of acoustic waves depends mainly upon the amplitude of such Waves. Devices for obtaining super-audition wave trains heretofore have involved relatively low degrees of energy-i. e., the oscillations of the air molecules involved have had relatively low amplitude. Usually such devices have taken the form of transformers from low to high frequency, with a proportional resulting diminution of amplitude, Altho a siren has been used to produce acoustic wave trains of high amplitude, a super-audition siren involves serious mechanical difiiculties and is based invariably upon interruptions.

The present invention, as distinguished from the above, contemplatesa simple means for producing acoustic wave trains of superaudi'tion pitch to which can be imparted substantially unlimited degrees of energy and which can be concentrated into a wave beam to admit of the reception and utilization of the imparted energy at' a relatively great distance and with relatively small loss. It avoids, moreover, the complications of a siren in that does not involve interruptions of a blast for oscillating the air molecules but uses instead a continuous air disturbing means in which the effect of oscillations is produced upon the receiver by periodic, regular, and continuous transverse dis placement of the origin of disturbance. Preferably the air compressions and 'dilatationsare caused by the passage therethru, at high speed, of a body shaped to obtainthe maximum of compression and dilatation with a minimum of air friction, turbulence or other power wasting factors.

In the drawings, wherein like reference characters denote like or corresponding parts,

Fig. 1 shows a thin imperforate strip of metal forming a two-vanetransmitter a,

means of bolts bb the vanes a are fastened to a flange a formed on the end of a driveshaft d by means of which the vanes are driven.

Fig. 2 shows an alternate method of attaching the vanes a to the flange 0 without bolts. The metal strip of which the vanes a are formed, instead of being bolted to the flange 0, is bent and passed thru slots 8 formed in the flange, thus making a double bend which clamps the strip in position. In this figure an electric motor f (by way of example) is shown as a power means for rotating the shaft (2 at the high speeds required. '9 and h indicate multiplying gears.

Fig. 3 shows an arrangement similar to Fig. 2. Here, however, six vanes or three double varies a are employed, each metal strip from which the vanes are formed being laced thru the slots e and disposed, at the flange a, in over-lapping relation.

Fig. 4 shows an arrangement wherein a multiple series of vanes, arranged in tandem, is-employed. The flanges 0, one for each vane series, are held rigidly together by bolts ff which pass thru the total number of flanges. The drive-shaft d is fastened to the innermost flange only.

Fig. 5 is the sameas Fig. 4, but in perspective.

Fig. 6 shows the preferred lenticular profile or cross-section of the moving blade or vane a. If and when the motion thru air of the vane a in the direction of the arrow (Fig. 6), does not exceed, say roughly 800 feet per second, then the displaced air may flow smoothly around the body and there would be as a result, little compression or dilatation. Where the movement of the tips of the vanes approaches or exceeds, roughly 1100 feet per second at normal temperatures, compression at the leading edge and dilatation at the trailing edge, instead of being negligible factors, become predominant. Due to the fair shape, however, of the vanes or blades a, there is but little turbulence and friction dueto the viscosity of the air, is at a minimum. Accordingly, a large percentage of the. power used ity of sound.

in driving the vanes or blades is transformed into air compression and dilatation.

Such compressions and dilatations, as is well known, radiate in all directions at the velocity of sound which in air is roughly-1084 feet per second at zero degrees centigrade.

vmounted on a hub or flange and rotated by means of a power driven shaft at high speed,

then the compression and dilatation regions will lie, due to such rotation, on spiral bands advancing in the form of a beam at the veloc- At'the high rotative velocities used the vanes are of necessity called upon to resist both torque and centrifugal forces. T 0 meet the stress of centrifugal force, the familiar plan of using a strong tho light metal or alloy, suchas duralumin, or magnesium alloy, is preferably followed. I have found, also, that the quasi-rigidity due to centrifugal force,makes it possible to use very thin and therefore relatively flexible vanes, which as illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2, are preferably tapered in width and thickness from root to tip as indicated.

The spirail bands previously referred to are propagated thru the air or other medium. Using as a receiver the car, a phonograph disc, a' telephone receiver or other acoustically responsive means, the rate per, second of pulsations in such receiver will equal the number of blades or vanes multiplied by the number of revolutions per second. If this rate per second exceeds the limit of audition; then the mechanical effects in the receiver continue while audible sound ceases and the super-audition limit is reached. Wherea phonograph is used as a receiver for super-audition wave trains, reproduction at audible pitch may be made by the familiar transformer method of slowing down the disc speed or by other convenient methods. Where the transmission of super-audition wave trains is discontinued at suitable intervals of time, for example, according to the Morse code, signals may be transmitted which are inaudible until transformed into audible pitch. If the transmission .of super-audition acoustic wave trains is varied by control in any familiar manner of the energy imparted, as by the in terposition of a screen, and the receiver is responsive to such variations, then any type of variation impressed upon the transm .tted energy is reproduced at the receiving end by the receiver, and may be utilized in any familiar manner. For concentration into a well-defined beam, acoustic reflectors or other appropriate means, if desired, may be used either with or in association with the transmitter. To obtain the special effects which produce at the receiver the effects 'of the periodic character desired, the blades or vanes a of the transmitter may be arranged radially as in Fig. 3 or in tandem as in Figs. 4 and 5, or both radially and in tandem. Fig. 7 shows a receiver in the form of a phonograph. The horn is of the phonograph is positioned to receive the sound waves emanating from the vanes a. Z is a motor for operating the phonograph disc m thru variable multiple gears n, o, p,-and q. As intimated, a'different form of receiving apparatus can be used, if desired.

1 am aware that super-audition ether waves have been utilized hitherto, but in this invention, I do not utilize ether waves, which are transverse, but utilize instead longitudinal waves in a material medium such as air or other gas or gas mixture also liquids and possibly solids.

What I claim is: 1. As a source of periodic acoustic effects upon an acoustic receiver at a distance; continuously moving non-interrupted and noninterrupting definitely interspaced units adapted to impart at their leading edges compr'essions and at their trailing edges dilatations, with resulting displacements to the acoustic medium; and means for movin such displacement units at speeds of the or er of and abovethe velocity of sound, the periodic character of the impressions upon the receiver depending upon the periodic passage of the displacement units of the source past a particular point.

2. In combination, a power operated noninterrupting transmitter for producing, in a material medium, compression waves ofsuper-audition pitch; and a distantly removed receiving apparatus mechanically responsive to said wave train and receiving therefrom the energy necessary to the mechanical working thereof.

3. In combination, a power operated noninterrupting transmitter for producing, in a material medium, compression waves of super-audition pitch; a distantly removed receiving apparatus mechanically responsive to said wave trains and receiving therefrom the energy necessary to the mechanical working thereof; and means for causing variations in the transmission intensity, which variations are impressed upon the receiver for audible or (inec'hanical reproduction at the receiving en 4:. In combination, a power operated noninterrupting transmitterfor producing in a material medium, compression waves of super-audition pitch capable of discontinuance and resumption at will; and, a distantly removed signal receiving apparatus mechanically responsive to said wave train and reeach shaped ceiving therefrom the energy necessary to the mechanical working thereof.

5. In combination, a power operated noninterrupting transmitter for producing, in a material medium, compression waves of super-audition pitch; and a distantly removed receiving apparatus capable ofdoing external mechanical work, said receiving apparatus being mechanically responsive to said wave train and receiving therefrom the energy necessary to the mechanical working thereof.

6. As a source of sound, a motor with high speed shaft having mounted thereon thin solid radial arms of strong light metal and of substantially'streamline cross-section of such narrowness in the plane of rotation as to rely mainly upon centrifugal force for ri gidity. against torque. 7

As a source of sound, a motor with high speed shaft having mounted thereon radial substantially lenticular cross-sectionarms of and of such narrowness 1n the plane of rotation-as to rely mainly upon centrifugal force for rigidity against torque.

8. As a means for producing wave trains of super-audition pitch, a plurality of definitely spaced radially arranged displacement units in cross-section toimpart to a sound transmitting medium, compressions at the leadingedges' and dilatations at the trailing edges of said units, I said units being whirled at tip speeds of the order of and above the velocity of sound.

In testimony whereof I hereunto afiix my signature.

' SYLVANUS A. REED. 

